Combined lighting and ignition switch.



G. W. HART.

COMBINED LIGHTING AND IGNITION SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 17. I915.

Patented May 9, 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

G. W. HART.

COMBINED LIGHTING AND IGNITION SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE l1. I915.

1,182,088. Patented May 9,1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2' $51 24 attozuua),

G. W. HART.

COMBINED LIGHTING AND IGNITION SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 17, 1915.

1, 182,088, Patented May 9, 1916.

3 SHEETSSHEET 3.

swvamfoz a Wff/mr UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GERALD W. HART, OF WEST HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE HART MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

COMBINED LIGHTING AND IGNITION SWITCH.

a citizen ofthe United States, residing at West Hartford, Connecticut, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Combined Lighting and Ignition Switches, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to combined lighting and ignition switches for automobiles and the like, and has for its object to produce a simple and compact switch in which two independent switch arms rotate about a common axis.

It further has for its object to produce such a switch in which a single key-actuated bolt locks both of said switch arms simultaneously.

The following is a descriptionof an embodiment of my invention, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 shows a plan view of the switch. Fig. 2 shows side elevation. Fig. 3 shows a bottom View. Fig. 4 shows a plan view with the casing and operating levers re moved. Fig. 5 shows a plan view with the casing, upper switch arm and levers removed. Fig. 6 shows a section of the switch. Fig. 7 shows a detail of one of the switch arms with itsv lever. Fig. 8 is a side elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 7 looking in the direction of the arrow, portions being in section. Fig.9 is a detail of the other switch arm with its actuating lever. Fig. 10 is a side elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 9 looking in the direction of the arrow, portions being in section. Fig. 11 isa diagram of circuit connections.

Referring more particularly to the drawings: 1 is a base of insulating material.

2 is a casing or cover secured to the base by screws 3. The top of this casing contains indication marks, those on one side being Ofi, S-T, HT and All, these marks signifying respectively the positions of the actuating member passing over them corresponding to the positions of the switch arm for 1) opening the-switch; (2) putting the side and tail lights in circuit; (3) for putting the head and tail. lights in circuit; (4) for putting all lights in circuit respectively. The other side of Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 9, 1916.

Application filed June 17, 1915. Serial No. 34,752. i

the casing has the marks SB, Oif.

and DB, corresponding to the positions of the lever for the switch arm controlled thereby, for (1) putting the secondary battery in circuit; (2) opening the switch, and (3) putting the dry batteries in circuit respectively.

4 is a key-actuated lock carried by the cover. a

5, 5, 5 are three contacts carried by the base for controlling ignition circuits and adapted to be connected and disconnected by a switch arm 6 carried by a plate portion 7 and insulated therefrom.

88 are two contacts which cooperate with the switch arm 9 harried by and insulated from the plate 7 for controlling the generator circuit.

1010, etc., are five contacts for controlling the lighting circuits, same being engaged by the switch arm 11 mounted upon the plate 12 and insulated therefrom. The plate 7 is mounted upon the shaft 13. The plate 12 is. mounted upon a hollow shaft 14 which surrounds the shaft 13.

15 is a finger-piece engaging the shaft 13 so as to actuate the same. The shaft 13 has a recess 16 as shown in Figs. 9 and 10 with which an internally projecting pin 17 en-f gages.

18 is a'finger-piece having an inwardly projecting pin 19 which engages with a recess 20 in the upper end of the hollow shaft 14 for actuating that shaft and the switch arm 11 carried thereby. The finger-pieces 15 and 18 are held upon the shaft by a screw 21. when their switch arms are 'both in Off position, are in line with one another, extending radially in diametrically opposite directions as shown in Fig. 1.

The contacts 5 and 8 and the next succeeding four contacts 10, are connected respectively with binding posts 5', 8'. and 10' on the back of the base 1. The other contact 10 is connected by a conductor 22 with the fourth contact 10, counting clock-wise, as shown in Fig. 3. The third contact 10 The finger-pieces 15 and 16,-

is connected with the first contact 5, count-.

ing clock-wise, as shown in. Fig. 3 by a conductor 23, the two contacts last referred to being the storage battery contacts.

25 in the hollow shaft 14. This arm has a face concentric with the axis of the shaft by which it is carried and is provided with a notch 25. The plate 12 has a portion concentric with the axis of the shaft 13 which is I provided with two notches 26 and 27.

28 is the bolt of the lock 4 provided with a nose adapted to enter the notch 25 and a pin 29 adapted to enter the notches 26 and 27. When the notches 25 and 26 are in position to permit the pin 29 and the nose upon the bolt 28 to enter them, all the switch arms are in open position. When the notches 25 and 27 are in line with one another and are in position to permit the pin 29 and the nose of the bolt 28 to enter them, the ignition controlling switch arm is in open position and the light controlling switch arm is in the ST position; i. e., in position for placing the side and tail lights in circuit. If the ignition switch is not in open position, the lock 4 cannot be-actuated. If the lighting circuit is in neither the open position nor the ST position, the lock cannot be actuated. The circuit therefore can be locked only when the ignition controlling arm is in open position and the light controlling arm is in either open position or side and tail light ST) position, the two positions of the lighting arm just named being those in which the arm should be placed when the machine is left standing for a considerable period during .the day and during the night-time respectively.

In order to give the two switch arms the proper throw with a semi-snap action, I provide two spring pawls, consisting of rollers 3132 carried by springs 3334 respectively, said two rollers being carried by the screw 35 and acting independently upon the plates 12 and 7 respectively, said plates being provided with cam notches with which the pawls engage. These two plates are provided with slots 37-38 through which protrudes a pin 39 carried by the base, acting as a positive stop for said plates at the end of.

their extreme throws in either direction.

The arm 6 is made of such length that in 7 its central position it is out of engagement with the two end contacts 5 and when in either of its other positions is in engagement with the central contact 5 and with but one of the other contacts 5. The switch arm 9 has three projections, which when the switch arm is in its central position, are out of engagement with the contacts 8. Two of these pro ections, however, are in engagement with the two contacts 8 whenever the switch arm 9 is in either of its other positions.

The switch arm 11 has two projections, one of which is a bridge adapted to simultaneously engage three of the contacts 10. The other projection is separated therefrom so that when it is in engagement with a contact 10, the contact 10 next adjacent thereto is not engaged by the switch arm 11. This enables the desired selection of lighting circuits to be made.

The circuits are shown in Fig. 11. T0 the lower-most contact 5 is connected a dry battery 40. The next contact 5 is connected to spark coil 41 and to the upper contact 5 is 5 connected a storage battery 42. contact 8 is connected a generator 43 and the upper contact 8 is connected by a con- To the lower ductor 44 to the upper contact 5. To the first contact 10, counting clock-wise, in Fig. 11, are connected side lights 45. The next contact 10 is connected to tail light46, The

next contact 10 is connectedby a conductor;

connected in circuit with the storage battery.

When those arms are moved counter-clockwise from their central positions, the dry batteries are placed in circuit with the spark coil and the generator is placed in circuit with the storage battery. When the switch arm 11 is moved one step clock-wise the side and tail lights are placed in circuit with the battery. When moved another step the head and tail lights are placed in circuit with the storage battery; and when moved a third As will be evident to those skilled in the art, my invention permits of various modifications without departing from the spirit thereof or the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is: 7

1. In an electric switch the combination of a base, two switch arms thereon independently revoluble about a common axis, two series of contacts, each arranged concentrically about said axis, two radial handles connected to said switch arms respectively, said handles being in line with one another'when both of said switch arms are in open position.

2. In an electric switch the combination of a base, two switch arms thereon independently revoluble about a common axis, two series of contacts, each arranged constep all lights are placed in circuit with the centrically about said axis, two handles connected to said switch arms respectively, and a lock for locking both of said switch arms simultaneously when said switch arms are in open position and means for preventing the action of said lock except when one of said arms is in open position.

3. In an electric switch the combination of a base, two switch arms thereon independently revoluble about a common .axis,

two series of contacts, each arranged concentrically about said axis, two handles connected to said switch arms respectively, said handles being in line with one another when both of said switch arms are in open position, and a lock for locking both of said switch arms simultaneously.

4. In an electric switch the. combination of a base, two switch arms thereon independently revoluble about a common axis, two series of contacts, each arranged concentrically about said axis, two handles connected to said switch arms respectively, and a lock for locking both of said switch arms simultaneously, and means for preventing the action of said lock except when one of said switch arms is in open position.

5. In an electric switch the combination of a base, two switch arms thereon independently revoluble about a common axis, two series of contacts, each arranged concentrically about said axis, two handles connected to said switch arms respectively, said handles being in line with one another when both of said switch arms are in open position, and a lock for locking both of said switch arms simultaneously, and means for preventing the action of said lock when one of said swltch arms is out of open position. 6. In an electric switch the combination of a base, two switch arms thereon independently revoluble about a common axis, two series of contacts, each arranged concentrically about said axis, two handles connected to said switch arms respectively, and a lock for locking both of said switch arms simultaneously, and means for preventing the action of said lock except when one of said switch arms is in open position and the other is in one of two positions.

7. In an electric switch the combination of a base, two switch arms thereon independently revoluble about a common axis, two series of contacts, each arranged concentrically about said axis, two handles connected to said switch arms respectively, one of said series having five contacts and one of said switch arms having a bridge for connecting any adjacent three of the said five contacts and a tail for engaging another of said five contacts but separated from the bridge by the space occupied by one contact.

8. In an electric switch the combination of a base, two switch arms thereon independently revoluble about a common axis, two series of contacts, each arranged concentrically about said axis, two handles connected to said switch arms respectively, and a common stop for limiting the movement of said switch arms in both directions.

9. In an electric switch the combination of a base, two switch arms thereon independently revoluble about a common axis, two series of contacts, each arranged concentrically about said axis, twohandles connected to said switch arms respectively, said handles being in line with one another "when both of said switch arms are in open position, and two spring actuated pawls, one for each of said switch arms, and notches engaged by said pawls.

GERALD W. HART. 

